Hanging bracket for illuminating tubes



Oct. 28, 1952 E. WlLES 2,616,028

HANGING BRACKET FOR ILLUMINATING TUBES Filed June 26, 1950 INVENTOR. ELWOOD W I LE 3 AT TOPNEY Patented Oct. 28, 1952 UNITED STATES-PATENT OFFICE",-

. ElwoodWiles, Portland, Oreg. Application June 26, 1950, Serial No. 170,397 3 Claims. (01. 240-5112) This invention relates to brackets and is particularly adapted to be used in connection with fluorescent lighting fixtures.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a bracket for supporting the weight of the fluorescent tubes extending beyond the light fixtures.

Heretofore, the fluorescent tubes were supportedfrom the ceiling beyond the fixture, but with my new and improved supporting bracket the fixture itself supports the weight of the fluorescent tube through my bracket, making a very neat and substantial arrangement.

These and other incidental objects will be apparent in the specification, drawings and claims.

Referring to the drawings:

, Figure 1 is a perspective underneath view of a fluorescent fixture and .tube, including my. new

and improved bracket for supporting the tube.

Figure 2 is a side view of the fixture, partially broken away, illustrating how my new and improved bracket is applied and associated therewith.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of my new and improved bracket removed from the fixture and tube.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the light fixture, partially broken away, illustrating how the fluorescent tube is mounted to the fixture and how the brackets support the tube to the fixture.

Referring more specifically to the drawings:

I will first describe the general arrangement of a fluorescent light fixture, which consists of a base plate i, which is secured to the ceiling 2 by way of the screws 3. Secured to the underside of the base plate I is the fixture frame 4, in which is mounted the transformer 5, and to which the fluorescent tube socket 6 is secured by way of the holding screw 1. The fixture has a cover 8 secured to the same by any suitable fastening means, as for instance the screws 9.

My new and improved bracket consists of a single wire it, formed in the shape of a U at H, having the loops l2 bent downwardly therefrom at approximately right angles, the said loops terminating in the legs [3, extending upwardly at an acute angle to the U-shaped portions II, the ends being bent inwardly at right angles at I4. Resilient covering l surrounds a portion of the loops [2 and are for the purpose of preventing the bracket from sliding upon the fluorescent tubes, which the said bracket is supporting.

In order to install the bracket, the right angle bends M are inserted through the holes l6 of 2 the frame 4 of the light fixture. This may be done when the fixture is installed, or after the fixture is installed, as the bracket can be distort,-

ed sufficiently to force the bends M into the holes, after which the said bends prevent the legs 13 from coming back through the holes it of the fixture 4.

The fluorescent tubes I"! have well known terminals l8 adapted to enter the electric sockets 6. This is already standard practice except that when using my bracket the ends of the tubes are entered through the loops l2 of. the bracket then into the socket 6. The .U-shaped portion ll of the bracket will come to rest within and somewhat above center of the tubesas best 11'- lustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 4.

These brackets are precision manufactured and when installed as above described, they will hold the vflourescent .tubes in a horizontal position, the end [9 ofthe U-shaped portion I] bears snuggly against the end 20 of the light fixture cover 8, the U-shaped portion forming a compression member and the legs I3 forming tension members. The resilient member I5 prevents the tube from coming out of the socket 6 as may be caused by vibration or the like which exists in many installations. Therefore, my new and improved bracket not only supports the weight of fluorescent tubes from the light fixtures, but it prevents the tubes from coming out of their sockets due to vibration.

In the attaching of my new and improved bracket, I find that shaping the loops I2 sothat the points SA engage the tube I'l leaving a slight clearance between the bottomof the loop at [5B and the tube, prevents the slipping of the tube much more effectively than if the loop contacted the tube all the way around the resilient material l5.

The cover 8 is provided with notches 2| coin ciding with the openings 18 so that said cover can be removed from the fixture without removing the legs of the bracket from the frame 4 of the fixture, although the fluorescent tubes have to be removed before the said cover plate could be removed.

I do not wish to be limited to using my brackets on the particular form of fixture illustrated, as it is adapted to be used upon any shape of fixture having any number of fluorescent tubes extending therefrom.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many modifications thereof are possible. The invention, therefore, is not to be redicular to said branches for receiving the tubes,

the portions of said strand at the outer ends of said loops being bent to form hangers extending upwardly at an acute angle to the plane of the central U-shaped portion and having at their ends hanger means which are securableto the fixture, whereby the U-shaped portion will abut the fixture between the tubes with the depending loops supporting the tubes.

2. A bracket for supporting fluorescent light tubes extending from lighting fixtures, comprising a single strand having its central portion bent into a U-shape with the branches thereof substantially parallel, the portions of said strand at the end of said branches being bent outward- 1y into depending loops disposed in planes perpendicular to said branches for receiving the tubes, the portions of said strand at the outer ends of said loops being bent to form hangers extending upwardly at an acute angle to the plane of the central U-shaped portion and having at their ends hanger means which are securable to the fixture, whereby the U-shaped portion will abut the fixture between the tubes with the depending loops supporting the tubes, said loops being of a depth to substantially completely receive the tubes with the upper ends of said loops disposed adjacent the upper surfaces of the tubes to position the branches of the U- shaped portion adjacent and substantially parallel with the upper inner sides of the tubes and with the hanger portions disposed above the tubes.

3. In a lighting fixture having a base portion enclosed by a cover and fluorescent light tubes extending from the base portion beyond the cover, a tube hanging bracket for said tubes comprising a formed single strand having its central portion bent into a U-shape' with the branches thereof substantially parallel, the portions of said strand at the end of said branches being bent outwardly into depending loops disposed in planes perpendicular to said branches for receiving and partially surrounding the tubes, the portions. of said strand at the outer ends of said loops being bent to form hangers extending upwardly at an acute angle to the plane of the central U-shaped portions and having at their ends hanger means, apertures in said fixture base portion for receiving said hanger means, and slots in said cover for passing said hangers, whereby the U-shaped portion will abut the fixture cover between the tubes with the depending loops supporting the tubes.

ELWOOD WILES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 808,142 Danhour Dec. 26, 1905 1,043,530 Millar NOV. 5, 1912 1,690,491 Knauff Nov. 6, 1928 1,940,872 Marbury Dec. 26, 1933 ,301,228 Pollak et al Nov. 10, 1942 2,350,600 Foster June 6, 194.4 2,509,109 Pretzer May 23, 1950 

